Automatic dividing device for conveyer systems



y 3, 1952 w. H. HARTMANN 2,602,534

AUTOMATIC DIVIDING DEVICE FOR CONVEYER SYSTEMS Filed Afiril 3, 1951 2 SHEETS-SHEET l HIS Hrro EA/E/ -..shown per se;

Patented July 8, 1952 AU'roMATicimvmmGpE-vior: (FOR: 1 CONVEYER SYSTEMS William III Hartmann', Lemay', Mb. I Application April 3, 1951,.S'erial;No;7218;967;

' 9 Claims. (01. lee-#31) v The present invention; relates to an improved device for uselwith conveyoriisystems of. the type extensively employed in bottling, canning, and siinilar industri'es; The invention is' primarily designed for mfromone station be cansor the? like; traveling lines eachleading to divided into two separate another station:

Granted to me on July Patent N'oi 2,515,8'7 1i covering an automatic dividing device for attaining such objectives. However, the: device disclosed. in: said patent necessarily requires the presenceof an air pressure system in the plant-since the-.1 operatingmechani'sm includes a rot'ary valve and apair of diaphra'g-ms actuated bycompressed-air. a

Most of the larger plants are equipped witha compressed airsystem and-under those circum- I stances; my patented device has b'eensfoun'd to achieve its objects in a most efficient manner.

However, many ofthe smaller plants, are not equipped with a compressedair system, so that installation of my said device: would also entail 1 8, 1950; were Letters I 1 corporation in that type-of conveyor system wherein -it is requisitetha-t asingle' line of bottles,

the prohibitive expense of instal1ing":such2 arsY-sto above willlbe noted in the descriptionq to follow, reference being had also to. theaccompanying drawings, wherein the preferred-embodiment of. my invention is: illustrated;

. lnasaid drawings: I

' Fig. 1. is'a: diagrammatical illustratlonin: top planioff a-conveyoirsystem wherein is incorporated the? automatic dividing. device comprising ,the

present.- invention;

bottling plant. orthe. like;

' his to another" station.

2 a top coverplateremoved, and the non-stationary mechanism-shown in one position;

Fig. '7 isa similar: view, with said mechanism showninan alternate position;

Fig. 8 is an approximately central sectional view of the device with certain elements por trayed inelevation; 1

Fig. 9- is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken approximately on line 99 in Fig. 4;

Fig. 101 a vertical transverse sectional view takenonline l0.'l[i in Fig. 6;,

.Figg' ll is a side elevational View of one. of. a pair of; deflector plates; associated with the invention; I

a slide lug being shown secured thereto in broken lines; v

Fig. 13 is a bottom plan view of amicro-switch control assembly per se;

Fig. 14 is a schematic layout of the electrical connections. f V

With particular'reference to Figs. 1 and, 2,

numeral-2B designates a standard. endless conveyor, only the delivery or discharge end of which is portrayed. The conveyor. travels in the'direction indicatedb'y the arrows d, and-may be driven by power appliedto shaft 24, or otherwise, asjis understood. I

, For explanatory purposes, it will be'assumed that conveyor 20, is'part. of a system for conveying bottlesti'n a single line from one station of a bottlingjv plantfto a. division point, where the single line'isi'divided into two separate lines each lead- It is to be understood however, that the inventibn is not restricted to bottle conveyorsys- Fig.2: i's sidefelevationahviewi of Fig. 1', with guidezrailcelement's omitted}, v

Fig. 3is altop plan-viewof; the dividing. device,

Fig.4. is; a. side elevational view thereof}, 7 Fig, 5 -isa: tragmentaryelevational' viewof; the device; as-it' appears from-theside opposite that portrayed; in Fig-#4;

. Fig. 6 is a top plan-viewi or the device,with

tems, but that it may be employed with equal'efricien'oy in other analogous conveyor apparatus.

That-is to s'ay',the bottle conveyor system illust-rated in exemplary only, and the invention could beincorporated in any conveyor system wherein itis' desired to divide a single line of articles traveling onone conveyor, into two separate lines each traveling on another conveyor.

Reverting now to Figs. 1 and 2, bottles propelled forwardly in 'upright position" on conveyo'r 20 are indicated by broken lines and designated B;. Said bottles may be: spaced as shown; or oth'erwisa. itv being noted that the instant device is: so designed that its operation is not dependent upon spacing. In other words, the de vice will: operate regardless; of whether the articles on conveyor Zll are evenlyor unevenly spaced; or whether they are in physical contact with-oneancther.

: Overlapping. the discharge end of said con- Fig. 12 is ahead view of saiddeflector plate,

The conveyors 26 and '28 respectively, also have similar guide rails 34 and 36. along theiri marginal edges, the inner rails in both instances:

forming a continuation of guide rails provided On the dividing device, as will appear.

An angularly disposed guide rail SS-connects. one of said guide rails .32 with the outer rail 34, p and a similar rail 40 connects the other rail 32 with outer rail 36.

All of these guide rails are so spaced as to prevent the bottles from tipping as they travel on the conveyors, and during the time they arebeing transferred from the single line conveyor toeither of the conveyors 26 or 28, as is understood. I

Itis noted that the guide rails form noparof the instant invention, any appropriate rail construction of this nature being suitable.

Removably mounted on a standard 42 as shown, or on any other suitable stationary support adjacent the overlapping conveyor end portions, is'the divider unit comprising the present invention. It is generally designated by referencenumeral44. r iv r Included in this device is a substantially'rectangular housing or casing having a bottom wall 46, side walls48, a rear end wall 50, and a forward Wal152. V I

As seen to best advantage in Fig. 9, said forward wall includes converging portions 54 merg ing at their forward ends into a'substantially triangular'body portion 56, 'and at their rear endsin to the side walls 48. V c EXteriorly; each convergingwall portio n;54 is recessed as at 58 to provide a smooth vertical surface or slideway for a purpose to appear.

Secured to each side wall 59, as by countersunk screws 60 or the like, are upper andlower guide rail members62 and 64 respectively. The cross-sectional configuration of these guides, as best'seen in Fig. 10, is preferably semi-circular. As hereinbefore noted, and as portrayed in Fig. 1, the rails 62 and 64 are alined with inner rails 34. and 36, when the divider is properly installed. At theihfor'ward ends, the rail members. 62 and 64 are bevelled offas at 66, so as to merge into the outermost face portions 68 of the converging walls-54. In other words, as the drawings clearly-illustrate, rails 62 and-'64 combine with face portions 6-8 to produce smooth, continuous guides for the ware during the transfer operation as will be seen.

' :Furthenthe forward 'ends'oi said rail membersare cut away or recessed at 10, so as to provide clearance for a pair'of ware deflecting plates which, as will appear, are adapted to be alternately reciprocated horizontally along the SurfacesSB.

With particular reference to Fig. 9, each wall 54 is provided with an elongated horizontal slot '12, through each of which projectsa lug 14, slidable therein. Exteriorly of the housing; a deflector plate 16 is secured by a countersunk VII 4 screw la to one lug, and a deflector plate 80 is similarly secured to the other lug, as shown.

In Figs. 11 and 12, the deflector plate 80 is shown detached. It includes a body portion 82, an integral forwardly projecting upper finger 84, a similar lower finger 8B, and a similar intermediate flnger88. The extremities or said finers are roundedas at- 90, so that as willfappear,

should the bottles of the single line" be" in contact with one another, insertion between the leading unit and the next adjacent unit is facilitated.

The top and bottom edges of plate :80 are recessed at 92 so as to provide tongue portions '94 slidably mounted in longitudinal grooves 96 formed in the exterior face portions 68 of one converging Wall 54.

The plate 16 is similar to plate 80, and appears to best advantage in Fig. 5, where it is seen to includea bodyportion 98,. provided with tongue portions I00 along its top and bottom edges. Similar to those of plate 80, these tongue portions are slidably mounted in longi-; tudinal grooves 9'6 formed in the exterior face portions 68 of the other converging wall, 54.

' Integral with the body portion of plate 16, are a pair of forwardly projecting fingers I02, so spaced relative to the spacing of fingers 84,85 and, that the latter may freely traverse the former, and vice versa, when the-plates 16 and 80 are'recipr'ocated. The extremities, 'of fingers. I02 arealsorounded as atl04. .1 I The means for. alternately reciprocating the deflector plates will now be described, with,.par ticular reference-toFigsGand '7. r I Y Each of the lugs 14. is provided with a vertical threaded apeitd'reiOB-for the reception of a pivot screw. a

' Numeral lflasdesignatesa.firstdink. the forward .end .of.'which is pivotally connected by screw I In to that lug which is secured to deflector plate 16, and the rear end of which ispivotally connectedto a rotary disc H2 by a screw] 14.

irNumeral H6 designatesa second link, the forwardwend. of whichis pivotallyconnected by. a screw 1 [8 to that lug which is secured'to deflector plate 80, and; the rearv end of which is pivotally connected to said rotary di-scby a pivot screw, I20.

, cWith:thisarrangement, it-should be obvious that counterscl'ockwise. rotary motion of disc: H2 will' cause deflector plate 16 to slide forwardly from the position it occupies in Fig. 6, to itsFig. .7 position. I Simultaneously, deflector plate will sliderearwardly from the position it occuples. -;in Fig-6, to its Fig. 'Iposition. r As seen particularly;:in.'Fig.=I8, dis'cVI-2 has a depending. hub portion I24, and is rotatively mounted ona stud l26,"the reduced threaded lowerend' of which'is in engagement. with the bottomwall 46.

Intermittent partial rotatio'n'ofthe disc. H2 .is effected by the alternate energization of a pair of solenoids -I-2 8 and I 30, each of which; is appropriately m'ounted within the casing on abracket secured to the" bottom wall 46, as shown. The solenoids are conventional, and each includes-re. movable armature l32 which is'pulled in when the solenoid is energized, and is free to be moved outwardly when the solenoid is de-energized, as is understood. i Outwardmovements of the armatures are limitedby enlarged headmemb'ers I 34 thereon and a rectangular opening- I36 is provided in' the adjacent side wall 50 to accommodate saidnlemestate-4 ass stant.a ibr id t iiii' t sd leverrpi otally-mo-untedon astudI-dflfas arly he"forward"end of said leverhasan elo-ngated "48- therein;- throughwliich passesl a screw threaded- -ar'ierture nub; engagement-wt provided m disc m,- An intermediatejpor'tion{of lever I38-fhas apivotal 'connection I 52- with a se pi o'tal conn ction l-i l with the pr:seen11 -critter th armature I32 associated witha solenoid 128i Aflrectangular opening I-=56 is rcviuea in' tlie a entside wall- 50 to accommodate these parts; From the foregoing-and an inspection of Figs.

. 6 a'ndfl, it'should be apparent that I energization of solenoid I28 will rotate disc II2 counter-block from its'Fig. 6; to itsFig. '1 position, and that energization? of solenoid I will rotate." 'saidl disc' clockwise frcrn its Fig. to it's lligs 6' position A demountable cover. plate I58L'isproVided for; the 1 device, being "maintained in. position above the casing by spacer; elements I60, and: screws [-62, agiillustra'ted. .l i 1 e :Permanently; supportedon'. said cover; by means ofangular bracket: I Hi4, is: a. conventional mic'roeswitch; assembly; designated L66; As best seemin-Fig. the actuating: plunger I568? of said switch .projects; downwardly and freelypthrough an.;opening-ITIIIin'saidcover plate. s I I Asz-schematicallyrshownqin, Fig; 14;..plunger I68 isrn-ormally, biasedito; its: lowermost positiongzbv meansof, a spring, IJ2- ,1;incorporated in the micro: switch: assembly, as is understood;5 lrsuoh posi: tion,; alcircuit-w for, enersiz n esolenoidr I-2;8 is: es.-

Qnnecupa =I:42""withi shortli k tablishedv vialinev I14; movable; blade; I16 stationary contact line, 32.. .i .v r .This circuitisI broken; however when plunger I68 is;rais e-d.- Simultaneously a circuit-for'enere gizing,-,solenoid I 30; is. thus; established via, line I14, movable blade I16;,stationarycontact I 85, lead. I86,,said1solenoi'd, .lead;I38, solenoid; I 2 8.. and

'Assho-wmonly in Fig, 1,;a conventional plug Iwmaybe. attachedto the freev ends of lines o I I4 and- I82 as-is understood. Itisalso noted, that amanual-On andzO-ffi switch may, be. incorporated inrth'ewiring if: desired.

In; Eig. 13, there is, shown. in bottom; plan, an assembly for; controllingthe movementsorf the mlCIZOrSWitCh' plunger? Referring also to Figs. '7 andi8.,:saidassembly includesantarm I92 pivotally mounteds. at; itsforwardend by meansof a screw iltfiswhich engages: in. a. threaded aperture I96 provided? in. the; triangular: body portion.- 56 oficasingiwallpBL Aifwasher' 198' about; said screw; iszinterposed between the; bottom; face of saidearmsandxthe upper-.surfaceofthe casing, sothat-ithe rearwardly extending'.portion.of:the arm is free to oscillate about piVot I94. I v

Adjustably secured to the freeextremity'of arm I 92; asby a. slotsandiscrew connection; t9ll, .is;san arcuatestop memberamfll which limits- .the' oscillatory ztravel of;?said-:-arm= .1. Stop member-2N1 apnpears end elevation in Fig". 10', where it is seen thateach terminal end the'reof! is adapted to strike-against-one of the Walls- 50 as the arm: I 92 oscillates, as will appear i I s i f I Numeral 252 indicates an 'element having a slightly rounded top surface which occupies a I18, lead I789, said; sclenoid, and

plane above'theupper face of arm -I $1 2 i and s'uf 6" ficiently' above the plane normally-occupied by the lower extremity of plunger I68; H w As illustrated in the drawings; elementzllz is inthe form of a rivet, and is disposed-th one side of the longitudinal centerline of arm I92 so that, when said arm'is-in its Fig Sposition, rivet 202 will force plunger I 68 upwardly, to thereby' close the circuit which'energizes solenoid I30.

'l-lowever, when arm I92 is in its Fig. 7 position;

rivet 202 is not in contact with said plunger so that the downwardly biasing means incorporated in the micro-switch closes the circuit" which ena ergizes"SOlenOidfI'ZB, as has been explained; a in One of'th'ei principal features ofthe invention is that each successive leading unitof the 'sin'gle 7 line-"of bottleswill swing arm I92 in -adirection opposite to that efiected-by itspredecessor:

To attain this end, a pair of rollers 2M and 206 are adjustablymounted by meansof a support 268, to'said arm as at 2 I'0-.-' Each of-said rollers is freelyrotatable about a verticalpinwhich in-i cl'udesa peene'd" top portion 212, and-a similar but preferably larger bottom portion 2-I 4; 'as the;

v At.this,tirne,,-rivet Z02 is forcmg p 'u h fifi upwardhgso that solenoid I30 isbeing energ; ed whereby to maintain deflector platel6 in aretracted position, 7 and simultaneously to maintain defl 'p was ests dvpq iti f i In suchextended position, the'rounded-extrem-r ities: of fingers .84, 86-and 88 projectlagrosathe longitudinal centerline;ofconveyor 20, sosthat the leading; bottle I B- is. deflected.- towardoonveyo as,,indicated;-bvarrow:b;i n:Eig.'6.-. As saidbottle continues tozadvanceas indicated by. arrow' 0; itbears; against projecting; roller 296 to. swing arm- I59 2; toits Fig: 7. position; whereby asshould'now bemanifest, deflector plat 'I;6; s1ides forwardly simultaneously with the withdrawal of plateBIh y w Asa result, theJIQundied" extremities; IIl4 of fingets .t I 02' project across the;longitudinalcenterline of. conveyor :2- 0,.s,o. that the succeeding-leading bottle; B 15- deflectedtcward conveyor; 26 a ;,in di,-

catedlby arrow 11,. a i 7 As saidabottle; continues toadvance; it bears against projecting roller 2.041170, swing, arm I 92 to its-Fig. 6 position;or. a..repetition': of the cycle. From. the; foregoing? it should: be evident ,that: my invention providesan; electrically operable device for automatically dividingaisingle rowsoffbottles or similar articles intoatwo separate rows; -..'It should; likewise-be? evident that: tires-invention may;beiincorporatediinstandard conveyorsystems without requiring: structuralichanges tin-theme;

Obviously; the; device may be modified: without departing fromqtheaprinciples; ofythe; invention-s vVItzislto:be1understood .therefore;,thatzthejm en,

precise details 1 1 A device for automatically dividing asingle line of ware or the like on one conveyor into two separate lines on a pair of adjacent conveyors, said device including-a pairof deflector plates reciprocable intermittently across the path of the leading unit in said single line; a micro switch assembly including a depending plunger the position of: which is intermittently reversed by successive, leading units of said single line; bracket means'for mounting said; switch assemblyya pair of solenoids alternately energizable by id r switch for actuating the movable armatures of said solenoids; andmeans operable by said armatures for intermittently reciprocating the defiector plates aforesaid. d

2. The-device of claim 1, 'wherein'each of the intermittently reciprocable deflector, plates is provided with an upper and a lower marginal tongue portion in slidable engagement respectivelywith a complementary groove portion of an upper and a lower exterior face portion formed on a casingincorporating said device, and wherein each deflector plate includes a plurality of integral spaced projecting finger members adapted to be intermittently reciprocated across the longitudinal centerline of said first conveyor, and across one another.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the pair of deflector plates includes a first plate and a secondplate, said'firs't plate comprising a substantially rectangular body portion recessed along its top and bottom marginal edges to provide tongue "portions a countersunk aperture in said bodyfportion; an upper, a lowenand an intermediate finger member integral with the body portion and projecting forwardly therefrom, the

extremities of said fingers being rounded; said second plate comprising a substantially rectangular body portion recessed along its top and bottom marginal edges to provide tongue portions; a countersunk aperture in said body portion; a pair of finger members integral with the body portion and projecting forwardly therefrom, said fingers being-so located as to pass freely through the spaces obtaining between the fingers of said first plate, and the extremities thereof being rounded; the countersunk aper- V,

ture of each plate being adapted to receive the head portion of a screw the threaded shank portion of which is in engagement with a lug member slidably operable in an elongated horizontal slot formed in one wall of a casingrincluded inthe device.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the means operable by said armatures forlintermittently reciprocating the deflector plates includes a horizontally disposed lever pivotally mounted on a vertical stud rigidly secured to the bottom wall of a casing incorporating said device; a first short link having a pivotalconnection at one end with the rear end of said lever and at its other end with the armature of one of said solenoids; a second short link having a pivotal connection at one end with an intermediate portion of said lever and; at its other end with the armature of the other of said solenoids; a-rotatable disc mounted on' a vertical studrigidly secured to the bottom wall of said casing; an elongated slot in the forward end of said'l'ever; a pivot screw passing through said slot and into-engagement with a threaded aperture provided in said disc; and a pair of links each 'pivotally connected atone endto said disc and at its other end to a slidably mounted lug s cured to one of said defiectorplates. "I -5; In a divider f the'character' described: a micro-switch having a depending; downwardly biased actuating plunger; a first and a second solenoid; and means whereby intermittent energization of said solenoids is effected by a unit of ware, said means comprising a horizontally disposed arm, a pivotal mounting for one end there of; astop member adj stably secured to the other end thereof; a rivet; secured to said arm the upper surface of which is in a; plane above the plane nor n 1ally occupied by the lowermost p011tion-;of';-said plunger; and a pair of rollers rigidly supported by saidarm-and adapted tobe alternately engaged by; successive leading; units ofware for oscillating saidarm to intermittently efiect the energization of said first andsecond solenoids. e

6. A divider unit for incorporation in a conveyor system of the type described, said unit including: a substantially rectangular casing having a bottom wall, side walls, a rear end wall, and a convergent forward wall terminating in a rounded apex portion; a pair of solenoids appropriately supported within said casing in spaced relation to the bottom wall thereof, each solenoid including a movable armature; a pair of intermittently reciprocable deflector plates slide ably mounted on said casing; a demountable cover plate for the casing'and spacer means for sustaining same in a plane above the top'of the casing; a micro-switch assembly mounted on stid cover plate; apivotally mounted oscillatory assembly for alternately opening and closing a pair of electrical circuits associated with said switch and said solenoids; "and means connected with the armatures'ofsaid solenoids for reciprocating said deflector plates. 7 '7. A divider unit for incorporation in a conveyor system of the type described, said unit including: a substantially rectangular casing hav inga bottom wall, side walls, a rear end wall, and a convergent forward wallterminating in an exteriorly rounded substantially triangular apex body portion; a demountable cover plate forthe casing maintained in vertically spaced relation thereabove; a micro-switch assembly including a depending actuating plunger rigidly mounted on said cover plate; an opening formed in said plate through which said plunger extends; an oscillatory assemblylpivotally mounted onsaid apex body portion between the casing and the cover plate for controlling the vertical movements of saidactuating plunger; a pair of rollers included'in saidassembly adapted to be engaged by successive'articles being propelled along the first conveyor l included in said "system for intermittently oscillating the same; a pair of solenoids responsive, to the said micro-switch; a pair of slidably mounted deflector plates; and means operable bysaid solenoids for intermittently reciprocating said deflector plates across the first conveyor aforesaid.

combination with a conveyor system of the character described, a device operable by successive containers to divide a single line into two separate lines of containers, said, device including a pair of angularly disposed deflector plates reciprocable across. the path of the singleline; linkage controlled by a rotary disc for intermittently reciprocating said plates; a pivotally mounted horizontally disposed lever for oscillating-saiddisc under theaction of a pairof rotary disc; a pair of links each pivotally connected at one end to said disc and at its opposite end to a lug rigid with one of said plates and slidable in an elongated slot provided in the casing incorporating said device; a micro-switch; and means for controlling said switch to intermittently energize said solenoids.

WILLIAM H. HARTMANN.

No references cited; 

